mat1 seoi2乜誰乜谁
Jyutpingmat1 seoi2
Yalemāt séui
Definition
Who
datedpeoplecommunication
How it's used
Carries a distinctively old-fashioned or literary flavor that sounds out of place in modern casual conversation. While it functions exactly like 邊個, using it today often makes the speaker sound like they are reciting a period drama or an archaic religious text. Most native speakers will understand it perfectly but would never use it in daily life, preferring 邊個 or the slightly derogatory 乜水 instead.
Examples
Who on earth are you?
I do not know who he is.
Related words
Common phrases
Who are you
Common mistake
Avoid using this in professional or casual settings as it can sound overly dramatic or like you are mimicking 19th-century missionary translations. It is not a standard way to ask for someone's identity in the 21st century.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
